wilson



(NO Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

R. WILSON.

`TOBAGGO DRIER.

No. 388,985. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

R. WILSON.

TOBACCO DRIBR.

No. 333,985. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. R. WILSON;

TOBAGCU DRIBR. No. 333.985. Patented Jan. 5, 1886.

Invader:

is jmmeys.

N. PETERS. PholwLhogmprm, washington. D. C.

NTTED STATES PATENT Ormea.

ROBERT VILSON, OF MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR'TO VILSON 8v MOCALLAY, OF SAME PLACE. l

TOBACCO-Dalen.

LSPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,985, dated January 5, 1886. Application filed May 29, 1885. Serial No. 167,017. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- Beit Aknown that I, ROBERT WILSON a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns for Drying Tobacco, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex. act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,` forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in `tobacco-drying kilns; and it consists in such an arrangement and construction of a kiln that the tobacco is introduced and moved through the kiln in one direction, While a current of hot air is passed in the opposite direction; also of devices for controlling both the tobacco and the blast of air without opening or entering the kiln, all of which will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

While I use my invention for drying tobacco, I do not confine my claim to its application to that purpose alone, as it can be used for any substance desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional plan view of the kiln. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional end view, and Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view, illustrating the mechanism for transferring the car from one chamber to another; and Fig. 5 is an elevation of the blower and attendant parts.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the figures.

A A represent the walls of the kiln, which is divided into two chambers by the partition-wall A. This wall does not extend entirely to the rear end of the kiln, so the two chambers are connected at that end.

` B B are doors in the frontend of the kiln, through which the tobacco is introduced.

The tobacco comes from the casing-tubs, where it has been moistened with a liquid mixture for imparting sweetening and iiavor to it. It is then placed on racks C in such a way that the air will circulate through it from all directions. These racks are placed, one

above the other, on cars or trucks E, which are run into the kiln through the doors B.

D D are tracks extending along the floor of the kiln, and upon which the cars run. Be-

tween the tracks` at each end of the kiln, are endless chains F, provided with sprockets or projections, which catch on lugs or any convenient projections on the underside of the car. These chains (of course belts may be used) pass over sprocket-wheels G G and G. The wheel G is geared with another wheel, G, by a chain or belt, which is revolved by a crank or in any other convenient Way. By connecting the two wheels or pulleys G together by a belt or chain both may be worked from one end. Where two tracks are placed in one chamber, there are two sets of sprocketwheels G G, carrying chains F, on the same shafts, and so arranged that the gearing may be shifted from one to the other by the shifting-levers X, constructed in any of the usual ways and operated by the cords H H. The cars in both chambers may be operated by one crank by extending the shaft through the kiln, as shown at K, Fig. l, if proper mechanism is used for shifting the gearing, as shown at LL, Fig. 1, which is operated by the cords L', Fig. 2. By this shifting mechanisni,which maybe arranged and constructed in any of the wellknown forms, any of the cars may be moved in the direction desired by means of the single crank on the wheels G, or, if preferred, each chamber may be provided with independent chains and gearing worked from either side. By these chains the cars are propelled from one end of the kiln to the other.

Where short chains extending only part of the length of the kiln are used, as shown in the drawings, and which I prefer for economy and simplicity and ease of operation, after the car has passed beyond the reach of the front chain, it is further propelled by the car behind it. The chain at the rear end can then be used to bring up one car at atime for transfer across the kiln, as will be hereinafter described. Of course, if preferred,a single propelling-chain, F, extending the entire length ofthe kiln,may be used.

At the rear end of the kiln, Where the two chambers connect, a car, E', is provided on tracks at right angles to the main tracks of the kiln, the top of which is level with main tracks, so that the car carrying the tobacco can be run onto the car E. This car E is pro- IOC vided with an endless cord, e, passing over' the requisite pulleys and extending outside the walls of the kiln, by which the car can be moved back and fort-h across the kiln. The car E having passed through the chamber I, in the direction indicated by the solid arrows, onto the car E, it is transferred across the kiln until it comes opposite the end of chamber I. Y

AS the chains F cannot conveniently eX- tend across the track ofthe car E, it is necessary to provide'some means for starting the car into the chamber I until it can come within the operation of the chain F. This is done by an arm or arms, M, attached to a rocking shaft, N. As the shaft Nis turned by the crank or lever N the car is pushed by the arms M into the chamber I', when it comes within reach of theprojeetions on the chain or belt F', and is propelled through the chamber I to the front end of thekiln,where it is taken out through the doors B B.

In order to dry the tobacco rapidly, hot air is admitted or forced into the kiln at the front end of chamber I', when it passesin the direction shown by the dotted arrows through chamber I into the other chamber, and passes out at the front end of chamber I through the flue O. For this purpose I connect with the front end of the chamber I a hot-air blower comprising a blower, T, of ordinary construction, a chamber,U, containing radiating coils, and an extension, U', as shown in Fig. 5; but I do not limit myself to any specic form of hot-air injector, as any of the wellknown forms may be employed, such as a suction-fan lat the other end of the device, orother equivalent mechanism. The current or 4draft of hot air is controlled or regulated by a damper, P, operated by a rod, P', or by cords and pulleys.

In orderto prevent the escape of the hot air or the cooling ofthe kiln when introducing or removing the tbacco,an apron, R,is provided, extending from the top to the' bottom of the Vkiln and back of the doors B B a little over the length of one car or truck. This apron or curtain is usually made of canvas on strips of wood, and rolls over the roller R. It may be made either to roll up on said roller or run on a frame along the top of the kiln, as shown at R, Fig. 2. Cords S pass over pulleys S down in front of the doors B B', one of which is attached to each end of the apron R, so it can be pulled up or down by the .man in charge of the doors. Vhen a car is to be introduced into the kiln, the apron is rolled down so as to shut off the main part of the kiln, leaving a short space between the apron and the door. The door is then opened, a car runin, and the door closed. The apron or curtain is then rolled up and the car moved through the kiln. By this means the temperature is kept even and undisturbed by the opening and closing ofthe kiln.

By introducing the tobacco at one end of the kiln and moving it slowly through against i current of hot air introduced at the other end,

several very important results are obtained. The tobacco before being put into the drier has been saturated with a sirup of sugar, licorice, and other flavoring substances, after which it should be dried promptly and thoroughly. If thrust at once into a closed hotair chamber, the drying will be sudden and unsatisfactory. The moisture thrown o" by evaporation remains more or less in contact with the leaf. It cannot be dried so well or thoroughly.-

By introducing the tobacco at the end of the kiln opposite to the end at which the hot air is introduced, (after the kiln has been in operation a short time,) the tobacco meets at first the air which has passed through the entire kiln and becomes more or less saturated with the vapor arising from the moist tobacco, and is not therefore suddenly subjected to dry hot air, but is dried gradually, the air becoming more and more pure and dry as the tobacco approaches the exit. The rank vapors and impurities thrown off by evaporation, instead of being held in contact with the drying tobacco, are, as it were, left behind, and not reabsorbed by the tobacco. The tobacco is too damp when first introduced to the kiln to absorb anything; hence the air laden with these vapors does no harm at that point, but. on the other hand, serves, by the increased humidity of the air, to prevent the too sudden drying of the tobacco. Vhen the tobacco reaches the door B, and is thoroughly dried and ready to be taken out, it meets the perfectly-pure dry air and comes out clean and free from all rank flavors andimpurities. At the same time it has been dried gradually and is well cured. By this arrangement thecapacity of the kiln is also greatly increased, as the kiln is never opened so as to permit the escape ofthe heated air or the introduction of cold atmospheric air.

A great saving of labor and timeis secured, as one man can operate the entire kiln from the outside, while tobacco is constantly introduced and taken out at the doors without any interruption or loss of time in waiting for a. kilnful to be dried and emptied before introducing a fresh supply. Of course, when more convenient, the kiln may be a single long chamber with doors at each end, instead of two chambers connected at one end; and any number of kilns arranged side by side may be connected by the same shafting and operated by the same man.

In order that the hot air may circulate freely through the tobacco, it is arranged on racks C, of novel construction, consisting of slats arranged parallel and held apart by spacingblocks, there being at each corner a block of such height as to serve as a foot for the rack, the blocks and slats being held together by tie rods extending through the blocks and slats at either end. By this construction the racks are made open at the ends as well as sides,

and when introduced into the kiln, placed on ears one above the other, .as shown,y

IOO

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the air passes between the racks from end to end, whereas with the ordinary racks, which are made solid at the ends, the air could only pass between them from side to side.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. A tobacco -drying kiln comprising par-v ways throughout the kiln, cars upon the Ways,

a chain and sprocket-wheels engaging with the car to propel the same, and operated by means of a handle and shaft extending outside of the kiln, whereby the car may be moved wit-hout opening the kiln, substantially as described.

3. A tobacco drying kiln comprising two or more chambers communicating with each other at one end, a hot-air blower communieating with last chamber at its outer end, means, substantially as described, for closing the chambers against the admission of cold air, tracks running longitudinally through each chamber, a car upon said tracks, mechanism in each chamber, substantially as described, for moving the car, a transfer-car moving transversely across the end of the kiln to convey the cars from one chamber to the other, and a shaft provided with projecting fingers and a handle for pushing the tobacco-carrying cars from the transfer car upon the track in the neXt chamber, substantially as described.

^ 4. A tobacco drying ykiln having one or more chambers and doors to permit entrance and exit of tobacco carrying cars, a hot air blower at the outlet to force a current of hot air through the kiln in a direction opposite to the movement of the tobacco, and iues and dampers to control the current of hot air, whereby the tobacco is acted upon by warmer and purer air as it passes through the kiln, substantially as described.

5. In a drying-kiln, the two parallel chambers I and I', connected at one end and having doors at the other, and provided with cars E, for carrying the tobacco, and atransfer-car, E', for moving the cars E from one chamber to the other, and mechanism, such as the lugs on the car, and the chain and sprocket-wheels connected with a handle outside of the kiln, for propelling and operating the cars, substantially as described.

6. In a tobaccodrying kiln provided with two or more chambers, the cars E, provided with suitable projections or lugs, moving on ways in the chamber, in combination with the chains F, engaging With the lugs, sprocketwheels G, G, and G, for propelling the cars, and shifting mechanism, substantially as described, for moving the cars on either track or in either direction without entering the kiln.

7. In a closed drying-kiln through which the material to be dried is passed on cars, the mechanism for starting the cars, comprising a rock-shaft, N, provided with an arm, M, to impinge against the cars, and handle N', substantially as described.

ROBERT WILSON.

Vitnesses: E. L. MGCALLAY, H. I. LEIBER. 

